Operating means for window regulator



J 11, 19 3 w. H. WEST 3,093,368

OPERATING MEANS FOR WINDOW REGULATOR Filed Jan. 25, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

A T'TOP/V5 Y June 11, 1963 w. H. WEST 3,093,363

OPERATING MEANS FOR WINDOW REGULATOR Filed Jan. 25, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4/! W an 511 62 64 4 W 4 w *b/ y "if "if 21 a :7 4;? ii

//i i W i/ 7/ w w x if 5 INVENTOR.

A TTORWE Y United tates poration of Delaware Filed .Ian. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 4,319 4 Claims. (C1. 268I26) This invention relates to operating means for window regulator mechanisms and more particularly to operating means for vehicle window regulator mechanisms.

The operating means of this invention is an improvement over that shown in Patent 2,900,183, Leslie et a1., and is generally of the type which is selectively operable from the exterior of the vehicle to move a vehicle window between open and closed positions and which may also be selectively and alternately placed in locked inoperative or unlocked inoperative conditions. Such an operating means is particularly useful for station wagon tail gate Windows wherein it is desirable that an exterior operating means be provided to selectively move the window between open and closed positions and that this operating means be able to be placed in a locked inoperative condition to prevent unauthorized entry into the vehicle.

Generally, the operating means includes an operating member rotatably mounted on the body, a manually openable handle swingably mounted on the member for movement between an open operating and a closed nonoperating position with respect to a handle receiving housing therein which opens to a handle receiving recess on the body, each of which receive-s portions of the handle in the closed position thereof. The operating member supports a key cylinder assembly movable between locked and a plurality of unlocked positions with respect thereto and controlling operation of a clutch means which clutches and declutches the operating member from the window regulator mechanism. The key cylinder assembly declutches the operating member from the window regulator mechanism when in locked and one unlocked position and clutches the window regulator mechanism to the operating member when in the other unlocked position. The key cylinder assembly is biased to the other unlocked position and is operatively connected to the handle for automatic movement between the one and the other unlocked positions when the handle is moved between its closed and open positions, respectively. When the key cylinder assembly is locked to the operating member, the operating member is declutched from the window regulator mechanism whereby even if the handle is moved to an open position and the operating member rotated, the window will remain in closed position. When the key cylinder assembly is unlocked from the operating membet, it is automatically movable to the one and the other positions with respect to the operating member upon movement of the handle, movement to the other position acting to clutch the operating membr to the window regulator mechanism whereby rotation of the handle moves the window between open and closed positions, and movement to the one position acting to :declutch the operating member from the window regulator mechanism in order that the handle receiving recess of the operating member may be aligned with the handle receiving recess on the body so that the handle may be moved to a closed position. Thus, when the key cylinder assembly is in an unlocked position, the operator may move the window to any position at his will. However, if the key cylinder assembly is in locked position, the window cannot be moved.

The primary object of this invent-ion is to provide an improved operating means for vehicle window regulator mechanisms. Another object of this invention is to pro- 2 atent vide an improved operating means for vehicle window regulator mechanisms wherein the operating means is selectively operable from the exterior of the body to move the window between open and closed positions and may also be placed in a locked inoperative position to prevent unauthorized entry into the body. A further object of this invention is to provide an improved manual operating means for vehicle window regulator mechanisms which includes a manually operable ihandle movable between open and closed positions with respect to a rotatable operating member and latch controlled clutch means operatively connected to the handle for automatically, selectively and alternately clutching and declutching the operating member from the window regulator mechanism when the handle is moved.

These and other objects of this invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and drawings, I

wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partial rear elevational view of a station wagon body embodying an operating means according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged partially broken away elevational View of the operating means, with the manually operable handle being shown in open position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the plane indicated generally by line 33 of FIGURE 1, with the manually operable handle being shown in closed position;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the plane indicated generally by line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along the plane indicated generally by line 55 of FIGURE 2; and,

FIGURE 6 is a partially broken away view taken along the plane indicated generally by line 6-6 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a station wagon body it includes a tail gate 12 which is swingably mounted on the body at its lower edge 14 for movement between a closed position, as shown, and an open position, not shown, wherein the tail gate is disposed in a generally horizontal position. The tail gate 12 supports a window 16 which is movable between a closed position, as shown, and an open position within the tail gate, not shown. When the window 16 is in closed position, the upper and side edge portions thereof are received within a guide channel 18 of the body. Thus, the window 16 must be in an open position within the tail gate before the tail gate can be opened.

The window 16 is moved between open and closed positions by a window regulator mechanism which generally includes a pair of lift arms 2i) and 22 pivotally mounted on the tail gate 12 at 24 and mounting rollers 26 which are pivotally and slid-ably received in cam channels 28 fixed to the lower edge of the window. The lift arms include intermeshing sector gears 30, with the sector gear of lift arm 22 being driven by a pinion 32.

It is desirable that the window regulator mechanism be operable from the exterior of the body by an operating means and that this operating means be able to be locked or placed in an operative condition to prevent unauthorized entry into the body 10. This invention provides such a window regulator operating means 34 which may be operated from the exterior of the body and which includes means for selectively and alternately placing the operating means in operative or inoperative conditions. This operating means will now be described with reference to FIGURES 2 through 6 of the drawings.

As best shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawings, a circularly shaped housing 40 fits flush against a localized embossment in the tailgate outer panel 42 and includes a central hub portion 44 which fits within an opening 46 of panel 42. Housing 4% is bolted at 43 to panel 42. A

handle assembly 48 is rotatably supported by housing 40 and includes a generally circularly shaped handle support or operating member 50 and a manually operable handle 52 swingably secured thereto. The handle support 50 includes a central hub 53 rotatably received within hub 44 and fixed against axial outward movement thereof by means of a split ring 54 received within an annular groove in hub 53 and bearing against a washer 56 located between the split ring and the inner end of hub 44. A spring washer 58 provided on hub 53 bears against support 50 and the outer end of hub 44 to stabilize the support 50 against tilting movement. The handle 52 includes a mounting lug 60 at one end thereof received within a radial groove 62 of support 50. A pin 64 extends through lug 60 and the ends of the pin are received within bores provided in the walls of groove 62 to rotatably mount the handle on support 50. The body of handle 52 is of generally circular shape so as to be received within a similar shaped recess 66 in support 50 in the closed position thereof. An operating knob 68 is rotatably mounted on a lug 70 at the other end of the handle with the end of the lug 70 being headed over a washer 72 recessed into the knob. When the handle 52 is in closed position, as shown in FIGURE 3, the knob 72 extends through a generally rectangularly shaped opening 74 of support 50 into a similarly shaped housing 76 of housing 40 which extends inwardly within the opening 46 of panel 42. The handle 52 is secured in place in closed position by a generally U-shaped spring 78 riveted to the base of housing 76 and having reversely bent legs 80, FIGURE 2, which engage within a groove 82 of knob 68.

A lock cylinder assembly 83 includes a housing 84 received within and keyed to the hub 53 of support 50 and a lock cylinder 85. The details of the assembly 83 are not shown and described since the assembly is the same as that shown in the aforementioned Leslie et a1. Patent 2,900,183 and reference may be had thereto for such details.

The cylinder 85 of assembly 83 includes a lug 86 which is eccentrically located with respect to the axis of rotation of the lock cylinder and is received within a slot 88 of locking pawl 90. Pawl 90 is slidably mounted within a bore 92 of housing 84, the opening of which is adapted to be aligned with a slot 94 provided in the hub 53 of support 50. The pawl is continually urged outward of bore 92 by means of a coil compression spring 96 which is received within a bore 98 of the pawl and seats in a bore in housing 84.

A driving hub 100 is rotatably mounted on the inner end of hub 53 and is rotatably secured thereto by means of a split ring 102 which is received within a groove provided in an axial lug 104 of housing 84 which projects through the base of hub 100. A washer is provided between the split ring and the base of hub 100. The hub 100 further includes an axial slot 106 adapted to be aligned with bore 92 and slot 94, and a pair of diametrically opposite axial slots 108 which slidably receive a shaft 110. Shaft 110 is rotatably mounted at 112 between the legs of a yoke 114 secured to the pinion gear 32 which meshes with the sector gear 30 of arm 22, as previously described in conjunction with FIGURE 1' of the drawings.

A cap 116, FIGURES 2 and 6, staked to the lock cylinder 85 includes a radial lug 118 and an axially extending lug 120 ofiset from the axis of rotation of the cap and lock cylinder. The outer end of hub 53 is provided with a partial circumferentially extending lip 122, FIG URE 3, having an axially outwardly opening semi-cylindrically shaped circumferential groove 124, one end wall of which is slotted at 126. A coil compression spring 128 fits Within groove 124, one end of the spring seating on the closed end wall of the groove, and the other end of the spring engaging lug 120 to bias this lug outwardly of groove 124 through slot 126 and thereby bias cap 116 clockwise as viewed in FIGURES 2 and 6. Lug 118 continuously engages one leg 131 of a bifurcated link 1 4 130 under the action of spring 128. The upper end of link 130 includes an apertured lug 132 pivoted at 134 between a pair of apertured lugs of handle 52. Each leg of link 130 mounts a laterally extending guide pin 136, each of which is slidably received within a groove 138 provided in a guide member 140. The guide members are bolted at 142 to the support to each side of the link.

The operating means of this invention is shown in FIG- URES 3, 4, and 6 of the drawings with the handle 52 in closed position; with the lock cylinder 85 in a locked position with respect to housing 84 wherein the lug 118 is in position 118' out of engagement with leg 131 of link 130;

and with the lug 86 of the lock cylinder in a position 86' engaging the lower wall of slot 88 to hold pawl 90 in position 90 within slot 92 and out of slots 94 and 106. Assuming now that an unauthorized person inserts his fingers within the finger grip opening 114 of handle 52 and then moves the handle to an open operating position as shown in FIGURE 2, to move link 130 outwardly and upwardly as pins 136 move in grooves 138. If the person now turns the handle 52 to rotate the support 50, the lock cylinder housing 84 and lock cylinder 85 will turn with the support 50 independently of hub 100, since the pawl 90 does not engage in slot 106. Thus the unauthorized person can turn the handle 52 at will, but the window 16 remains in a closed position, as shown in FIGURE 1. Lug 118 remains in position 118' since the lock cylinder 85 is locked to housing 84.

Assuming now that an authorized person inserts a suitable key within the key slot 146 to unlock the lock cylinder 85 from housing 84, spring 128 will thereupon rotate the lock cylinder 85 clockwise, as viewed in FIGURES 2. and 6, to move lug 118 to its position 118 in engagement with leg 131 of link 130. When the lock cylinder 85 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURES 2 and 6, the lug 86 of the lock cylinder moves to its position 86 to allow spring 96 to move pawl 90 outwardly of slot 92 to position 90 within slots 94 and 106. If the handle 52 is now turned to rotate the support 50 and the lock cylinder housing 84, spring 128 will cause the lock cylinder 85 to also rotate with housing 84 as lug 118 bears against leg 131. Since the pawl 90 now fits within slots 94 and 106, turning of handle 52 will cause the hub 100 to rotate with support 50 and the engagement of the slots 108 of the hub with the shaft 110 will rotate the shaft and the pinion 32 to thereby swing the lift arms 20 and 22 outwardly of each other and move the window 16 to an open position within the tailgate 12.

If it is thereafter desired to move the window 16 to a closed position or any other open position, the handle 52 is turned in the opposite direction to rotate the hub 100 in the opposite direction and swing the lift arms inwardly of each other.

It will be remembered that the knob 68 is received within the housing 76 when the handle 52 is in closed position, and that the housing 76 is fixed with respect to the body. Since the window may be moved to various positions, the opening 74 may not be aligned with the housing 76 when it is desired to move the handle 52 to a closed position. This need not trouble the operator since he merely has to move the handle to a partially closed position to move pawl to its position 90" and declutch hub from handle 52, support 50, the lock cylinder housing 84, and the lock cylinder 85 so that these will rotate as a unit independently of the hub when the handle is rotated. This will now be described with reference to FIGURES 2 and 6 of the drawings. When the handle 52 is moved to a partially closed position, link will be shifted inwardly and downwardly of housing 50 as the handle 52 swings about pin 64 and the guide pins 136 move within grooves 138 to cause lug 118 of cap 116 to move to a position immediately adjacent position 118 and will rotate the lock cylinder 85 slightly counter-clockwise as viewed in FIG- URES 2 and 6, against the action of spring 128. This will cause lug 86 to move pawl 90 out of slot 106 and inwardly slots 92 and 94 to a position immediately adjacent position 90" as indicated in FIGURE 4, so that the hub 100 is no longer clutched to the lock cylinder housing 84 and the lock cylinder 85. This declutching action takes place prior to the time that the handle is moved to a fully closed position so that the operator can swing the handle and support 50 when the handle is in a partially closed position, until the opening 74 is aligned with housing 76 so that the kno i 68 can be inserted through the opening and into the housing where it is retained in position by the legs 80 of spring 78.

If it is thereafter desired to again move the window to another position, the operator merely inserts his fingers Within the opening 144 to move handle 52 to its open position and this action will automatically clutch the lock cylinder housing 84 and the lock cylinder 85 to the hub 100 by means of pawl 90 as previously described.

Any time that the operator wishes to lock the lock cylinder 85 to the housing 84 to prevent unauthorized entry, he merely inserts a suitable key within key slot 146 to rotate the lock cylinder 85 relative to the lock cylinder housing and lock the cylinder with respect to the housing. This rotation of the lock cylinder is slightly counter-clockwise, as viewed in FIGURES 2 and 6, so that lug 86 moves to position 86 to move pawl 90 to position 90 wherein the pawl is out of engagement with slot 106 to declutch the window from the operating mechanism.

Thus, this invention provides an improved operating means for vehicle window regulator mechanism which includes an operating handle movable between open and closed positions and latch controlled clutch means operative to automatically selectively and alternately clutch and declutch the handle from the window regulator mechanism when the handle is moved between open and closed positions.

I claim:

1. In a vehicle body having a window mounted thereon for movement to open and closed positions and a window regualto-r mechanism for so moving said window, operating means for said mechanism comprising, an operating member movably mounted on said body, clutch means selectively and alternately movable to clutched and first and second declutched positions to selectively and alternately connect said operating member to said window regulator mechanism to thereby operate said mechanism or disconnect said member from said mechanism and allow said member to be moved independently thereof, an operating handle mounted on said member for movement between operating and non-operating po sitions with respect thereto, means interconnecting said handle and said clutch means for automaticall moving said clutch means between said clutched and one of said declutched positions upon movement of said handle be tween said operating and said non-operating positions, and means for moving said clutch means to the other of said declutched positions to disconnect said interconnecting means between said clutch means and said handle.

2. In a vehicle body having a window mounted thereon for movement to open and closed positions and a Window regulator mechanism for so moving said window, operating means for said mechanism comprising, an operating member movably mounted on said body, clutch means selectively and alternately movable to clutched and declntched positions to selectively and alternately connect said operating member to said window regulator mechanism to thereby operate said mechanism or disconnect said member from said mechanism and allow said memher to be moved independently thereof, an operating handle mounted on said member for movement between operating and non-operating positions with respect thereto,

rotatable clutch operating means for moving said clutch means upon rotation thereof, means biasing said clutch operating means to one rotative position thereof to move said clutch means to clutched position, and means interconnecting said handle and said clutch operating means and operable to rotate said clutch operating means to another rotative position thereof against the action of said biasing means to move said clutch means to said deolutched position upon movement of said handle between said operating and said non-operating positions.

3. In a vehicle body having a window mounted thereon for movement to open and closed positions and a window regulator mechanism for so moving said window, operating means for said mechanism comprising, an operating member movably mounted on said body, clutch means selectively and alternately movable to clutched and first and second declutched positions to selectively and alternately connect said operating member to said window regulator mechanism to thereby operate said mechanism or disconnect said member from said mechanism and allow said member to be moved independently thereof, rotatable clutch ope-rating means for moving said clutch means upon rotation thereof, means biasing said clutch operating means to one rotative position thereof to move said clutch means to clutched position, an operating handle mounted on said member for movement between operating and non-operating positions with respect thereto, means interconnecting said handle and said clutch operating means and operable to rotate said clutch operating means to another rotative position thereof against the action of said biasing means to move said clutch mean-s to one of said \declutched positions upon movement of said handle between said operating and said non-operating positions, and means for moving said clutch operating means to a further rotative position thereof against the action of said biasing means to move said clutch means to the other declntched position thereof.

4. In a vehicle body having a window mounted thereon for movement to open and closed positions and a window regulator mechanism for so moving said window, operating means for said mechanism comprising, an operating member movably mounted on said body, clutch means selectively and alternately movable to clutched and decluttched positions to selectively and alternately connect said operating member to said window regulator mechanism to thereby operate said mechanism or disconnect said member from said mechanism and allow said member to be moved independently thereof, rotatable clutch operating means for moving said clutch means upon rotation thereof, means biasing said clutch operating means to one rotative position thereof to move said clutch means to clutched position, an operating handle mounted on said member for movement between operating and non-operating positions with respect thereto, and a shiftable member having one end thereof connected to said handle and the other end thereof slidably engaging said clutch operating means, said member being shifted in one direction upon movement of said handle to said op erating position to permit said biasing means to move said clutch operating means to said one rotative position thereof, and being shifted in an opposite direction upon movement of said handle to said non-operating position to move said clutch operating means to another rotative position thereof against the action of said -bias ing means to move said clutch means to declutched position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,727,406 Opocensky Dec. 20, 1955 2,825,772 Jones Mar. 4, 1958 2,900,183 Leslie et a1. Aug. 18, 1959 

1. IN A VEHICLE BODY HAVING A WINDOW MOUNTED THEREON FOR MOVEMENT TO OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS AND A WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISM FOR SO MOVING SAID WINDOW, OPERATING MEANS FOR SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING, AN OPERATING MEMBER MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BODY, CLUTCH MEANS SELECTIVELY AND ALTERNATELY MOVABLE TO CLUTCHED AND FIRST AND SECOND DECLUTCHED POSITIONS TO SELECTIVELY AND ALTERNATELY CONNECT SAID OPERATING MEMBER TO SAID WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISM TO THEREBY OPERATE SAID MECHANISM OR DISCONNECT SAID MEMBER FROM SAID MECHANISM AND ALLOW SAID MEMBER TO BE MOVED INDEPENDENTLY THEREOF, AN OPERATING HANDLE MOUNTED ON SAID MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN OPERATING AND NON-OPERATING POSITIONS WITH RESPECT THERETO, MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID HANDLE AND SAID CLUTCH MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY MOVING SAID CLUTCH MEANS BETWEEN SAID CLUTCHED AND ONE OF SAID DECLUTCHED POSITIONS UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID HANDLE BETWEEN SAID OPERATING AND SAID NON-OPERATING POSITIONS, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CLUTCH MEANS TO THE OTHER OF SAID DECLUTCHED POSITIONS TO DISCONNECT SAID INTERCONNECTING MEANS BETWEEN SAID CLUTCH MEANS AND SAID HANDLE. 